A significant figure believed to be involved in a Kurdish organised crime group engaged in smuggling people into the UK via boats and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) has been apprehended by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
In a coordinated operation, NCA officers, supported by Hampshire Police, conducted the arrest of a 45-year-old man at a residence in the Kingston area of Portsmouth this morning. The individual was taken into custody on suspicion of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration and money laundering.
The suspect is alleged to have overseen a network of people smugglers operating across northern Europe and the Middle East. NCA investigators suspect that this network has facilitated the illegal entry of hundreds of individuals into the UK, charging exorbitant sums for their services.
Currently detained and undergoing interrogation by NCA investigators, the man’s arrest represents a significant development in an ongoing investigation that has spanned approximately two years.
Additionally, a second individual suspected of holding a high-ranking position within the crime group was apprehended in Italy last month. Following an NCA-secured warrant, extradition proceedings are underway to transfer him to the UK for prosecution.
Rachel Bramley, Senior Investigating Officer at the NCA, emphasized the gravity of the arrest, highlighting the dangerous and life-threatening nature of the group’s smuggling activities. She reaffirmed the NCA’s commitment to combatting organised immigration crime and underscored the agency’s dedication to continuing its investigation into the network.
As the investigation unfolds, authorities remain vigilant in their efforts to dismantle criminal networks involved in human trafficking and smuggling operations.
